Fateful Encounter
by saichanlovestoad
Summary: One moment in time started a chain of reactions that ultimately led to the creation of the Brotherhood. Rated for violence and mild language.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Just so you all know, I don't own any of the X-men: Evolution characters. However, the ideas presented here are my own and I would like you to respect that. Also, these ideas are not supported by the series, they're just things I couldn't get out of my mind. The story switches POVs for effect. Enjoy.

I walked away from the car I was supposed to be waiting by. Why wait? I didn't want to go home, to Bayville. I was tired of all this traveling to find me a home. I was never going to be adopted. No one wanted me. I wasn't cute like all the other little boys. I didn't even look like a boy. I was too tiny for a boy, so everyone thought I was a girl. When they found out I was a boy, they were always disappointed. Then they didn't want me when that witch made me look up to see my 'future parents'.

I looked like a freak. Frog-face, the boys at school called me. And they were right. Stupid, big eyes, and wide face. The whole deal. And just for effect, how about a green tongue too? Or how about a bug eating runt child who smelled weird and wore dirty clothes? That's a combination every parent wants right? Hardly.

No one was ever going to adopt me. So why bother waiting at that stupid car to go back to that stupid orphanage with all the normal looking children that would be adopted? I didn't see a reason, so I just walked off. No one would even notice, I bet. They'd be happy, even.

" No more freak Todd, right?" I mumbled to myself, shoving my hands deep into my pockets. People looked at me as I pasted, but I just hung my head and kept walking. With my luck, I'd get kidnaped and murdered by some deranged man who thought I was a little girl.

Sighing, I hurried past an alley. New York City was no place for kids. Why hadn't I just run away back home? At least then I'd know where I was going. I was lost in some weird city that smelled like smoke, just asking to be murdered or raped or something. And I was wearing a girl's shirt too. Just had to run out of clothes today, didn't you, Todd, I thought to myself. Had to make that witch dress you in Amelia's clothes, didn't you?

" Man, I am sooo stupid,"

I stopped suddenly, almost getting hit by a speeding car. I backed up from the road, wondering how I hadn't heard the horn, then realized they probably hadn't even honked. Just hit a child and keep driving, that was the world of Manhattan. This was the world I'd chosen to walk away in. I definitely wasn't about to win any awards for intelligence. I'd just about gotten myself killed within the first ten minutes of walking off.

" Who would care, anyways?" I asked myself, watching as more cars shot by and my shoulder long hair was blown back. That thought struck me hard. Who would care? I mean, really, who would? I'd never had a friend in all nine years of my life. My own parents had abandoned me at the doorsteps of a church because I wasn't entirely human. No one would ever adopt me. I was completely alone and that would never change.

Did I want to live like that? Alone? Because I was different from all the rest of the kids? No. I really, really, really didn't. So what was stopping me? There I was, a little kid, all alone in the middle of a busy city where people never hit the brakes. It'd all be over in a flash. And someone else would get the blame. And then someone would care about me. They'd have just killed an orphan. Of course, they'd care. They wouldn't know me, but they'd care. That's all I ever wanted.

But did I have the courage? I'd never exactly been brave. Actually, I was a coward. However, I didn't feel pain like everyone else. I could get thrown into a wall and get right back on my feet. So... getting hit by a car wouldn't hurt me as much as it would hurt another kid my size. Who knew? I might not even feel it. And even if I did, I'd die shortly afterwards. I was short enough to get whacked in the head. I'd die instantly or bleed to death soon there after. All I had to do was take two, three steps tops and that would be the end of all my misery.

I'd never be alone again.

I stepped into the road. One more step. My heart was pounding so hard I was shaking down to my dirty sneakers. I took the last step and stopped. My body was numb. I couldn't breathe. The car was coming straight at me and hadn't even noticed. They didn't see me. It was all going to be done, over with, in a couple seconds. I squeezed my eyes shut, time froze, and my heart shut down in the split second before my demise. Everything was dead silent. It felt like someone was pushing their hands over my ears and I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't see anything.

This was it. I was about to die.

Someone grabbed me right as the car slammed into us. I didn't scream but he did, my eyes opening wide as we hit the ground. Pain shot up my chest and sides, making it impossible to breathe. I choked, blood dripping out of my mouth, as I turned my head. A blond boy was weakly smiling at me, blood covering his side and running down his cheek. His eyes shut and a brunette girl suddenly threw herself down upon him, shrieking hysterically. Somewhere behind me, someone else shouted that they were dead and then my vision began to fade.

All I could think about was that someone finally cared about me. And they hadn't even known me. What was up with that?


	2. Chapter 2

I kicked my father's seat and moaned as he slowed again for a red light. Mom never slowed for those back home. Why did he? What, because it was law? Come on. We were in New York City. Since when did law matter there? I kicked the seat once more and my father jerked around, glaring from behind his classy sun glasses.

" Lance! Stop it! I'll get you home as soon as possible! The condo's not gonna go anywhere, dammit!" he snapped, before turning back around and hitting the gas. I sank down in the seat and ignored him.

Of course the condo wasn't going anywhere. Unless there was an earthquake, it wasn't going anywhere, at least. And who's ever heard of an earthquake in the middle of New York City? Sometimes, I thought my father thought I still the little boy he left at home all those years ago. I wasn't. I was ten. I was a big boy and I knew condos didn't just get up and walk away just because father's choose to drive slow in Manhattan and make their sons sit in the back of the company car crammed up with all their junk.

" You're an asshole," I muttered, kicking the back of his seat. I saw him take off his sunglasses and turn towards me in rage. I gave him my hardest stare.

" Don't use that language, ever again, do you understand me?" he waited for an answer, but I didn't give him one, " Dammit! Lance! Grow up!"

" Just drive the car, Dad!" I barked, roughly pointing at the changing light. He shuddered in anger, but turned away and started the car again. I stared defiantly out my window, looking at all the people passing on the street. We hit traffic and I stared harder, pulling my legs up.

" So... Lance, how's school been lately?"

" I got sent home for fighting," I watched as two kids stopped next to the car. Two girls with hats on and tattered jeans and hoodies. One, a brunette, was holding a jug of milk. The blond saw me staring and glared viciously at me. I glared back as she pulled the brunette off.

" Fighting? What were you fighting for? You're just a little kid,"

" I don't like other kids. They piss me off," I answered, watching as those two girls ran up the street to the next light where we were heading. Good. I could flick that rude blond off when we got there.

Dad didn't answer. A man leaned down and knocked on his window. Like the sissy he was, he rolled down the window and asked if there was something he could help him with. Honestly. Rolling down your window in Manhattan for a complete stranger? That was asking to get shot.

The man asked for directions to someplace I'd never heard of. Dad started to give them as I rolled down my window and stuck my head out. The man gave me a smile, I glared, and he turned away. Behind him, I spotted a heavy set boy with blond hair holding suitcases. He caught my glance and gave me a nervous grin. I showed my teeth and mouthed if that was his father. He shook his head, but that was all I got out of him. The man then grabbed his upper arm and pulled him off.

" Lance! Roll that window up and sit down! You're gonna get yourself killed!" Dad ordered, motioning for me to sit back down. I dropped down into my seat and rolled the window up angrily.

" Like you're one to talk,"

" What has your mother been teaching you?"

" That you suck ass,"

" Dammit, Lance! Can't you learn to behave!"

" I DON'T HAVE TO!!! I'M ONLY HERE TWO MONTHS A YEAR!!!" I screamed, slamming both feet into his seat as he started to drive down the street. He sped up in anger, gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white Actually made me wonder if I'd pushed him too far.

" That's not because I don't love you, dammit! I do, I do!" he tried to explain, but I'd heard it all before. I covered my ears and let out a wail, drowning him out the best I could. The car shook and my dad let out a gasp, " OH MY GO-"

The car struck something. I smacked into the back of my dad's seat, the car spun, and I crashed into my suitcases. The car crashed into a light pole and my head hit my door. I coughed, feeling blood on my head as everything spun around me. When did I undo my seatbelt? Oh yeah... Dad never told me to buckle up... how stupid of me... I should've known better...

The world went black as sirens in the distance rang out. Who was screaming? Who was crying? Not me. I was dying.


	3. Chapter 3

" Brother!!! Come on!!! Stop staring at the food!! Father said we were supposed to go home as soon as we bought the milk!" my sister, Wanda, shouted, grabbing my sleeve and jerking me away from the pastry shop. I whined, but followed her, pulling on my cap.

" No fair, Wanda! He never buys us stuff like that!" I informed her, looping arms with her as we jogged down the busy streets of New York City. She gave me a look, taking the milk from my hands.

" Pietro, you shouldn't say such terrible things about people,"

" It's true, isn't it, though?"

" You're so selfish," she pouted, hugging the milk to her. I sighed, jamming my hands into my pockets as we jogged past people trying to sell us stuff. We were nine, for crying out loud. What could we really buy? A TV? Like hell we were going to buy a stolen TV for fifty bucks. No one was.

" Why does he always have to time us? Can't we just hang out for once?" I demanded as I grabbed her hand when we cut across traffic. People honked at us but I just flicked them off. Wanda stared at me with her blue eyes.

" You know Father," was all she said as she handed the milk back to me. I rolled my matching eyes and followed her down the street, past some of the best smelling restaurants in the city.

I did know Father. He was a big, shameless man who always made us go out and get things for him. He was always talking to people on the phone and they were always people with weird sounding names. He took us to school and told us not to play with the other children because we were better then them for some reason he never said. We didn't want to make him mad so we didn't have any friends and we never had. He was wonderful, wasn't he? Shame I looked just like him.

" Pietro, pick up the pace. We're already late," Wanda commanded, fixing her hat over her hair. I moaned but sped up. I didn't have a problem with running. I liked it actually. The problem was the milk. I hated carrying it and running. But, I was the boy, so, it was my job.

We slowed down next to some car as the traffic started up again. I handed the milk back to Wanda, as it was her turn now. I stretched and turned around.

Some kid was staring at us through the window. His eyes widened when he saw me staring. Glaring, I grabbed Wanda's arm and dragged her away from the car. It really pissed me off when people looked at my sister like that. She wasn't a side show freak and she didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I couldn't imagine what it was going to be like when she was older and attracting men like flies to honey.

" Pietro, What're you doing?"

" Don't worry about it, Wanda," I pulled her across the road, breaking into a sprint. She squeaked, trying not to fall down. I didn't stop. It felt too good. Besides, Wanda could keep up. She was used to it.

I didn't stop running until we were at the other light, down the street. A little girl was standing there, all alone. I didn't think twice about it, except that she sure looked sad. Wanda, however, pulled away from me and tried to go over to see if the girl was okay. Moaning, I latched onto my sister and pulled her backwards.

" What're you doing? We don't know that kid! Dad told us never to talk to people, remember, Wanda?" I snapped, turning her face towards mine. She bit her lower lip and nodded, " There's good girl."

" I think we should help her," was all she said as she turned away and smiled kindly at the heavy set boy behind us. I turned her away, she fought, and stumbled into the boy, " Excuse me..."

" You're asking for trouble, Wanda," I jerked away, angry at her for breaking Father's rules.

That little girl walked into the middle of the on coming lane and stopped. Everything froze for a second as a speeding car came barreling towards her and it clicked in my mind that she wasn't going to move. She wanted to get hit. She was trying to kill herself.

" NO! WAIT, DON'T DO IT!!!" I shouted, tearing off the pavement and grabbing hold of her. I let out a scream as the car slammed into us and we hit the ground rolling. I gasped out as pain shot up my side and blood exploded in my eyes. We came to a stop, the girl laying there, coughing and choking on her own blood. There was so much noise, and then nothing at all. The girl stared at me with the largest gold eyes I'd ever seen in my life.

I smiled weakly as the world went utterly dark. Father was going to kill me.


	4. Chapter 4

" Brother!!! Come on!!! Stop staring at the food!! Father said we were supposed to go home as soon as we bought the milk!" I snapped, jerking my brother away from the window of a pastry shop we weren't supposed to go in. He gave me puppy dog eyes, but I just pulled him off, immune to those tricks of his.

" No fair, Wanda! He never buys us stuff like that!" he informed me, looping arms with me so that we wouldn't lose each other in those busy streets of the city where we lived. He'd never admit it, but he was afraid of losing me as much as I was of losing him. And Manhattan is a pretty big place for two nine year olds. Losing someone was a reasonable fear.

" Pietro, you shouldn't say such terrible things about people," I responded, taking the milk from him.

" It's true, isn't it, though?"

" You're so selfish," I muttered, refusing to look at him. He shoved his hands in his pockets as a sign that he was annoyed with me. I said nothing. My brother was selfish, but it wasn't his fault. Father liked to spoil us, saying we were better then everyone else at school. He said we were special, the rest were just human and boring. That had gone to my brother's head, but not mine.

" Why does he always have to time us? Can't we just hang out for once?" he pouted, taking my hand before he pulled us across traffic. People honked at us but he just flicked them off. I gave him wide eyes, trying to tell him to behave with my eyes but knowing it wouldn't work.

" You know Father," was all I could think of to say, shoving the milk back into his arms. He did his signature eyes roll, but followed me down the street without complaint.

At least he'd finally learned not to fight with me. My brother had made that a bad habit of his, what with arguing with the other kids at school all the time over the dumbest things. He was always looking for a challenge and if he couldn't find one, he'd make one. And he wondered why he had no friends. Sometimes, I thought it was ironic that he looked just like our father. Other times, I thought it was only fitting.

" Pietro, pick up the pace. We're already late," I commanded, adjusting my hat over my hair. We had to wear hats for some reason, as though Father thought someone was going to kidnap us or something. Probably one of those strange men he talked to on the phone all the time.

We slowed down next to some car as the traffic started up again. I took the milk back and watched for an opening when we could get by without getting killed. Then, without warning, my brother grabbed my arm and jerked me towards the road. The cars were still speeding by. We were going to be killed for sure.

" Pietro, What're you doing?"

" Don't worry about it, Wanda," was all he said as he broke into a run and pulled me across the street. I squeaked, hugging the milk tightly, and desperately trying not to fall down. Pietro ran faster then anyone I'd ever met but he didn't seem to notice. Probably because I'd never told him. I'd never wanted to boost his ego anymore, but sometimes, I really thought I was going to end up getting myself killed by pretending I could keep up.

When he came to a stop, we were at the other light already. Thankfully, however, he didn't try to cross the traffic like last time. I took a deep breath, and stared at the ground for a second. Once my breathing was normal, I looked back up, searching to make sure my brother hadn't been lured off somewhere by food.

Standing a little ways away was a tiny little girl, shaking and staring at the road in front of her with scared, wide eyes. Something was wrong with her. Something was going through her mind that wasn't a good thing. I could tell. She was afraid of something, someone, and was going to do something stupid without thinking. She reminded me of Pietro.

I started to walk over to her to make sure she didn't do anything, but Pietro grabbed my arm and jerked me back over to him.

" What're you doing? We don't know that kid! Dad told us never to talk to people, remember, Wanda?" he barked, sounding angry. I stared at him, knowing he was right. We would get into trouble if we talked to others. Knowing this, I bit my lower lip and nodded, " There's good girl."

" I think we should help her," I hissed under my breath, pulling myself out of his arms and turning away. I smiled at a nice looking boy waiting in line behind us, but was jerked away by my brother. I fought, hitting him with the milk, and lost my footing. I stumbled into the boy, " Excuse me..."

" You're asking for trouble, Wanda," I heard Pietro say as I smiled and thanked the boy for stopping my fall. He weakly smiled, before his eyes widened dramatically.

" NO! WAIT, DON'T DO IT!!!" Pietro's voice rang out as I spun around. He grabbed hold of that little girl right as a car crashed into them. A scream tore out of my throat as I tried to rush forward. The boy behind me grabbed my arms and threw me down onto the ground as the car spun and knocked the light pole down. It slammed into the ground next to us as I screamed and screamed.

The milk started to mix with blood as I raised my eyes up. My brother lay in the street with that girl and neither of them were moving. I shoved the boy off me and darted forward, sliding in the milk and blood, before collapsing next to Pietro. I grabbed his arm, trying to find a pulse, and unable to do anything because my head was so full of panicked thoughts about how my brother looked so dead, so lifeless, and it was all this girl's fault.

Sirens filled the air as I let out a wail and started to sob in my brother's bloody shirt and someone yelled that they thought they were dead. I could only cry and wish it had been me and not Pietro.


	5. Chapter 5

New York City. Who would want to live in such a disgusting place when they could live on open plains or at a farm? I'd never know. I wasn't from a city. I was from the country in Texas, where people were a whole lot nicer, the food was a whole lot tastier, and the cities were a whole lot cleaner. But I was standing in the middle of New York City with my social worker because I'd needed to see some supposed person about my parents and their sudden demise. I didn't understand it, so I didn't really care.

To be honest, I just wanted to go home. I was so tried of all this traveling, looking for relatives that would take me in. Why couldn't I just go home or something? Didn't they have a place for me? Did I really have to go live with family that I'd never heard of and didn't want me anyways?

I'd asked Mr. Jones all that a million times. He didn't know. He just did what he was told. I couldn't stand him. He wasn't useful. All he ever did was drag me places I didn't want to go and get us lost in the process. Which was why I was waiting in the middle of the sidewalk in New York City. We'd seen my aunt, who turned out to be an alcoholic and unable to care for children. Now we were lost, looking for the ferry to take us back to the airport that would take me home.

" Don't worry, Freddy. I'll get us there before the plane takes off," he assured me, patting my arm. I shoved him off, glaring evilly up at him. I was nine, but I wasn't a child. I didn't need him to baby me.

" I can't believe ya got us lost," was all I said as I turned away. He sighed, but didn't answer. He was too much of a priss for that. Couldn't even stand up to a nine year old.

" How about we ask for directions?" I gave him a look when he suggested it, " Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he pulled me off and over to a car. He knocked on the window but they didn't roll it down. He got flicked off and I laughed at him. Mr. Jones swallowed and pulled me off again.

We pasted two identical looking kids who were talking and switching milk from one to the other. They both looked like girls, but the blond sounded exactly like a boy, so there was no way he was a she. I did a double take as they stopped for traffic and then the boy grabbed the girl and jerked her off and into traffic. I stared as they sped past the cars.

Then Mr. Jones grabbed my arm and pulled me over to a car. He knocked on the window and it actually rolled down. He smiled brightly at the man in the business suit and they started to talk. I waited next to him, gripping the handles of my suitcases when the back window rolled down and a young boy stuck his head out.

Our eyes met and I smiled. He grinned back at me. He mouthed if Mr. Jones was my father and I quickly shook my head. He grinned again, like he understood my horror. Then Mr. Jones yanked me off and the boy frowned. I glared at the back of my social worker's head, feeling anger welling up inside of me. Every time there was someone who might be my friend, I was moved somewhere else. It wasn't fair. I didn't have any friends.

" It's right down this street, okay Fred?"

" Whatever," I jerked my arm out of his grasp and followed him down the street to the next light. Those twins were standing there, seemingly arguing about something. The girl looked confused, the boy just angry. I stood next to Mr. Jones and watched as the girl cast a look back at the only other person standing there with us.

She was a tiny thing, shaking back and forth and staring at the road. She looked lost, like she was trying to find her way back home too. I took a step forward to go ask her if she was looking for someone when the female twin crashed into me. I caught her.

" Excuse me..." she whispered, getting to her own two feet. I smiled, opening my mouth to say something to her when I saw that girl walk out into the middle of the street and stop.

" NO! WAIT, DON'T DO IT!!!" the blond twin shouted, before tearing out into the street after the girl. I grabbed his sister as she tried to follow him out and held her tight as a car slammed into the two kids. The girl screamed and I threw her onto the ground, shielding her, as the car spun out and into a light pole. It crashed down and next to us, but I pushed her down as far as she would go and we were unharmed.

She broke free of my grasp and run out to her brother, shrieking in horror as she fell to her knees. I ran towards the car that had crashed and ripped open the front door. The man in the business suit who'd been talking to Mr. Jones was laying over the steering wheel, blood dripping down his front. Recognizing him, I immediately opened the back door where that boy had been. He was slumped over the seat, his entire face covered in blood. He didn't move and the backseat was splattered with his blood.

" I THINK THEY'RE DEAD!!! MR. JONES!!! CALL 911!!!" I shouted, backing up from the car as the boy's blood began to drip onto the street. I'd never seen a dead body before. I never in my life seen a dead body. And that boy had been alive just a minute ago. Just a minute ago.

I stared at the car as I backed up to the curb. There, I fell down and turned, looking for my social worker. His body lay under part of the light pole, his hand stretched out towards the accident. Blood pooled underneath him and he didn't move. He was dead.

A scream ripped out of my throat as I covered my face to block out the images of all the dead bodies and the blood and the tears on that poor girl's face as she cried into her brother's body. I just screamed to block it all out. I screamed, wishing I was back home in Texas. Anywhere but there.


	6. Chapter 6

That evening at the hospital:

Doctor's were stunned when three young children were brought into their operating rooms for damages in the car wreck a few blocks up. The one who'd caused it, a young boy, had nothing human about his anatomy and seemed almost undamaged by the wreck. He was in hysterics, actually, but they weren't sure as to why. The boy hero was healing his wounds at an abnormally fast rate. He was more concerned about seeing his family then his own health. The last, the boy in the car itself, seemed to be unaffected by his father's departure from the world. He looked like he'd gone into shock for a while, then just wanted treatment for his splitting headaches.

As for the two who witnessed the accident, the girl wanted to see her brother more then anything. The boy was in shock about the corpses, but that was about it. He wanted to make sure everyone was okay, then just go home.

Time passed, but eventually all five of the kids went home. The twins walked out holding hands with their father. The one inside the car was swept into the arms of his mother and then was escorted to the airport. The boy in shock was taken by another social worker, back to his home. The last was taken across the bay to New Jersey, back to his orphanage where he would be put under suicidal watch for the rest of his life.

Each child left that hospital a different person. Each with something like power running through their bodies. Todd had never felt so in tune with his animal side. Lance's hands and head were aching and throbbing. Pietro couldn't help but want to run or get hurt and use his super healing. Wanda couldn't stop shaking, her eyes darting from one thing to another as she sensed their power. Fred's body throbbed and he found he couldn't cause himself physical pain anymore.

Without knowing it, the five that left that hospital that day had awaken inside of them something that should've stayed dominate for a lot longer. Their mutant abilities were alive and ready to be used.

Eight Years Later at Various Times:

Todd Tulansky entered the run down old Boarding House on the edge of his hometown, Bayville. He had a duffle bag over one shoulder that held what little personal belongings he had. He looked around, kicking the door shut. This shack was to be his new home for the rest of his life, or at least until he graduated from high school and got away from his 'master' Mystique.

That woman had found him in the local orphanage and told him she thought he was special. Wanted him to help her with something. Turned out she was a witch who wanted to extort his less then charming mutant ability to seek revenge on a man named Xavier. Todd hadn't wanted anything to do with it, seeing as the kids he was fighting against had saved his life before, but he had no choice. The woman had threatened him and forced him in mutant slavery.

Now, he was going to be living in that run down place with whomever else she could con into her scheme. He grimaced at the idea of roommates, but there wasn't much he could do about it. It had been listen to that witch or live the rest of his life at the orphanage being made fun of and having to listen to strict rules because he'd tried to kill himself years ago.

" My life sucks," he said, dropping down onto the couch and praying that he'd get a couple friends or something out of this whole Brotherhood experience.

Lance Alverts marched up the steps of the crappiest looking house he'd ever seen in his life. This was going to be his home, however, since Mystique had taken him in since he'd torn down half his old high school in rage. His only escape had been to accept her offer and allow her to make him a member of her Brotherhood experiment. Supposedly, he was now going to be a super villain like out of some weird comic book.

Honestly, he couldn't care less. He'd been living in a foster home for the past seven years. When his father had died in a car crash years beforehand, his mother had become a raging alcoholic. Dubbed an unfit mother, she was forced into rehab and he was sent to foster home after foster home. He was supposed to go home when she was all better, but things kept happening and he figured out that 'all better' was never going to come. So, he'd come all the way to New Jersey to this rotting house to meet his roommate and become a Brotherhood member.

" This fucking sucks. I hope he's quiet. I couldn't handle it if he was loud," he mumbled to himself, reaching for the door handle. He stopped for a moment, wondering if he could turn back now and go and find Kitty, the girl he'd almost killed. Then he remembered her face and gritted his teeth, " Fuck this. I'm joining this stupid club, even if he is loud,"

Sighing, he opened the door and walked in to meet a boy sitting frog style on the stairs. They stared at each other before Lance shut the door and the boy got to his feet. They clasped the other's hand.

" Yo, name's Toad,"

" Avalanche,"

Fred Dukes looked at the address written on the sheet of paper in his hand. It matched the one on the shack in front of him. Shrugging, he tucked the sheet into his pocket and headed up the driveway and past a nice looking car. He didn't exactly think he should be there. He wasn't really the type to be going to high school and living with other boys, even if they were mutants. Yet, he didn't really have any other place to be or go.

The day Mr. Jones died was the last day he'd ever had a place to be. The next couple of social workers had just sent him here and there before he dropped out of school. Then he'd been on his own and had gone from lost boy to side show freak in a matter of months. Mystique had offered him a way out of that. Said his powers would be appreciated. So, he'd taken her up on the offer and decided to join the Brotherhood. Now he was in front of his soon to be home, about to meet his new roommates.

" This is the dumbest idear I've ever had," he told himself, opening the door and stepping inside. A boy sitting on the floor in a frog style looked up suddenly. The other boy was leaning against the wall and didn't look at all surprised.

" Yo, wuzz up?" the boy on the floor hopped up and held his hand out, " The name's Toad,"

" They call me the Blob," he nervously said, shaking his head. Toad smiled innocently. The other boy got off the wall and held out his hand.

" Well, Blob, I'm Avalanche and I'm pleased to meet you,"

Pietro Maximoff arched an eyebrow when he saw the place he was supposed to be living at for the rest of his life. He was sure there had been a mistake or something but he was also sure Mystique wouldn't have made such an error. This was the Boarding House he was moving into. Not exactly the Ritz, but, then again, he couldn't very well complain.

Since the accident that had awoken his and his sister's powers, he'd been on his own. His sister had been locked in a mental institution for her own safety and then his father had disappeared. He'd lived with who was pasted off as a distant relative, but she'd always been out at work. He'd lived completely alone, friendless and family less until recently. Then his father had come out of nowhere, rescued him, and gave him a secret job where he would become one of the Brotherhood members in his father's ploy to destroy humankind.

" Can't say I'm looking forward to this, but hey, maybe I'll finally find out what friendship feels like," he said, strutting up the front steps and opening the door. His three roommates were already there. One boy was crouched down on the stairs, looking at him with hauntingly familiar gold eyes. A brunette was leaning against the wall. A big, blond boy was standing next to the other wall.

" Yo, wuzz up?" the boy on the stairs hopped over and held out his hand, " The name's Toad,"

" Call me Quicksilver," he brightly said, shaking hands with him. Then he zapped over to the brunette, " Hi there, I'm Quicksilver. And you are?"

" Avalanche. Nice to meet you," he said, shaking hands with him as well. Pietro smiled, before suddenly appearing in front of the last boy. They shook hands while he introduced himself again.

" And I'm Blob. Welcome,"

Wanda Maximoff sat, angrily, in the backseat of a car next to Mystique and the woman who calmed her nerves. She couldn't say she wasn't glad to finally be out of that horrible mental hospital, but she couldn't very well say she was pleased to be with her kidnaper either. She didn't like the situation and the way things were going. Reminded her all too much of the night her father and brother betrayed her.

She'd been sent to live at a mental institution against her will because her father couldn't control her powers. She'd screamed and screamed, but he just let her be taken away and locked up for some many years. And her brother had just let it happen. She'd always known he'd been like their father. She just hadn't known it'd been to that extent. Not once did he try to save her or come to see her. She'd been taken away and forced to be alone for the longest time.

It was all their fault. They would pay.

" Here we are," Mystique said as the car stopped in front of a house that was hard to see from the curb, " I'll just be a moment dear," she climbed out of the car and looked back in, " Don't look so depressed, Wanda. This is a grand day for you. Just like when you got your powers. You should be elated,"

" I don't like to talk about that day," she hissed, reaching for the door handle. Mystique drew back, " And I don't like this day," with that, she slammed the door in her face. She had a bad feeling about all this Brotherhood stuff she'd been hearing about. Something told her it was going to end in a way she wasn't going to like. Just like the day she and her brother had gone out to get milk.

After all, that one moment in time had led to all this. What would this moment in time lead to?


End file.
